LOCAL OPTION MEETING. A very infltential meeting of those ftvorable to the reduction of licensed pthlichouses in this electorate to the statutory mininmum was held on Tuesday evening in the local Wesleyan Church. Mr .T. Sykes, J.P., occupied the chair, and having stated the object of the meeting he proceeded to show that since the. new Act Iad come into force, much good had been derived from its enforcement, es pecially noticeable in the great reduction of "drunks" at the city courts on Monday mornings, through the more stringent Sunday closing provisions. This might not he so mclh noticed in country districts; still the houses in this district were ,rcatly in excess of the number provided anid required. A conmmnication from the secretary of Victorian Alliance was read, which cave lines of procedure and an earnest request that this oppor tunity of testing public opinion on this matter should not belost; othercirculars, petitions., form, etc., were received and read. The chairman fel...

ROSEDALE SHIRE COUNCIL. 3?osXAY, FERun JAY 15Tr. pre~lnt: Crs Hiim (president), Diher, O'Meara, Pedersen, Clement, 'later, oore, Young, and Skeels CORlFESPONDENCE. FrJm rateppCers and res'dents of the tawnshipe s of Cowiar, asking the aonacln to sink a tube well in the centre of the township, as they are at !ti1n r eatly pressed for waer supply. Fronm the Secretary of the Victorian Sijfafy, adverting to the memorial frm the resideots of Hosedale, asking that a tramway might be formed between, Rosedale and Yarram, stating tlht E,.h application had been laid hbefre the Minister, who desired him to say that before any steps could be taent it would be necessary for q plan ot the line, and estimate cost thereof to be submitted to him. leceivetd. From tihe secretary of Public Works, replving to the counel's communication of tre 25th.ult., forwarding plans etc., fir construction of bridge over Merriman's Creek, Timb's cro'sing stating that the inspecting engineer lad reported that before t...

THE COLONIAL BANK OF AUSTRALASIA. -4- 3Mr N. . Frole v, the well-known contractor, has a'most comoleted the hnuildipg of the ahore hsnk. Ex ternally the building presents a very suhstantial and natractive appearance, en,1 the stately edifice heing situated at the corner of Franklin and Sey mour-streets, it is not only col veniPntly situnted fir customers, hut the general appearanee of the t wn is improved by it. Mr Fro.ley is to be complimented on the energetic and skilful manner in which hn has carried out the work. The banking chamber is a lofty one, with an inner glass p:ated door. counter, teller's and leder desk.. all highly palidr id. The walls and ceiling are well plastered, and a neat Cornice, and one of Pepper's hlnndomoe centre. ll.wers, give ithe ceiling a very pleasing asp>ct. The strmnl ronom is well and secorely built, and with its mislive door of nearly a ton weight, it ehon'd be a matter of difficulty for either fire or burglars to interfere with its contente. The...

ROSEDALE. (From our own Correspondent.) At a meeting held on Monday evening it was resolved to present Mr Baker with a prose of sovereigns prior to his leaving for Clunes. A committee, with 31r Hur ren as secretary and treasurer, was appointed to attend to the business. On Wednesdayeveninga public meeting was held, Mr Allen being in the chair, to consider the desirability of taking steps to have a poll taken under the new Licensing Act Itwas resolved topetition His Excellency the Governor-in-Council, praying that a poll of the voters should be taken as to whether the number of hotels in the licensing district of Rosedale should be reduced to the statutory numlber or not. The getting the petition signed was remitted to a small committee. 'It is expected that those interested in the matter in Toongabbie and elsewhere, will assist the committee in their work. The petition must be signed by about 82 voters. This district, under the Act, is entitled to five publichouses; there are 13. Wi...

TIlE GREATEST WONDER o'r IODIERi T1MS! LONG experience e1 proemd the famos remedies to be nsmt effectual in carin either the dangerous aladien or the sd'hter comkic?su whcst, non mere paniculsy in cdea? to the lif of cminer, er to tnose living i the L hsh. Occtonalt doesaor these Pile wil guard the systcn ni enst theoe eails which s e?mecn beset the human race, na:--ceughs, eolds, yand I tisoerdce of tihe lirer an siomchled -the frequent f rcr?uon cs fecvrin dysentery Is the most elful remedy nor old t?oes. outhes ulcers rheumatis.t ned nil sJin dScatsi: in fct, then Used according to the printed drectisios, ituncrAl to caree liee, deep ssd supertcial ailmenes. 'The Pills and Ointment are lManulfactured only a: 533, OXFORD STREET, LONDON, iAnd are sold by all Vendors of Meldicines thrmeuhout the Ci4lized World; with directions forusein anmae every l'nguage. i.OEPeware of counnterfeits that may emanate from the United States. Purchasers shonuld look to the Label'on the Pets and Boxes...

KATE DRUMMOND'S &amp;nbsp; LOVER. -0--- CHAPTER V. He started to his feet, and, dashing his pipe to the ground, confronted her, but, in the determined, proud face he saw no signs of flinching. Something, indeed, he saw there, that cowed his &amp;nbsp; own anger, and made it fade in his &amp;nbsp; heart, so as to leave his face as white as ashes. "'You have ruined us both, Janey," he said, as his eyes fell beneath hers, &amp;nbsp; " and I may as well go and put a shot through my head. If you had kept &amp;nbsp; your word until I had got that money &amp;nbsp; out of Uncle George, all would have been right. As it is, I'm ruined and you, too, for the matter of that." " It wasn't me that told, Jonas; it was aunt," Janey explained, with a softened tone, that told of the weak spot yet left in her angry heart for this man. "She thought it best, and thought you were really going to marry &amp;nbsp; Kate Drummond." "Marry her! How could I?" "Oh, men have done queer...

"MODERATE. BUT PROGRESSSYE." (Published every Friday mo ning.) FRIDAY, FEIBlIUARY 19, 18G. TIIE GENERAL ELECTION. TiE last Cabinet of the Service-Tierry Coalition Ministry was held on Friday to determine when the resignation of the Government should be handed in,. rnd the dissolution of Parliament has been fixed for to-day. As there is but a short tinm intervening betwe'n the dissolution and the polling day, the campaign will have to be sharp and decisive. -The polling day will be in the first weoek of next monlth, or about a fortnight from date. Themre is certainly no dearth of gentlemen who-have definitely announcedl themselves a.s new candidates. For Castlemaine, for which therm ar only two members required, eight new candidates have amounced themselves; for Geelong which returns three members, there are six new candidates in the field, arfion?gt whom are Messrs James Munro an John Donaghy, the Mayor of Geelong West. For Mornington and Orvens, which each return one member, there ...

KATE 'DRUMMOND'S LOVER. --- CHAPTER -VI. "May heaven bless you, Kate! I can now go ill pc0cc ;" and Jonas went down the steps of the verandah. "Stop," said his uiclel, "atop, Jonas. It would be a comfort to us all if yon could say one word in lour own defence." "I cannot say one. You see, even if I eon d, Kate would not listen to tile," for the poor girl, unable to, hear atlt more, had gone into; tie house'. " No. I have done that which I would give this hand now I had never done, and all for the greed of gold; but do believe me, bad as I ulm, I never ment.t to injure Kate more than to get what money I could f'om: you on account of the weddit-g that never was to take ilare." Uncle George shook his head sadly, bus his voice was soft as he asked: "'Where are, sou going now?'? " " Going to take my ownt'f?w rattle over to the live-acre hut until I can tnn round." " Very well, lad; I will seeyou some tithe to morrow." Was it coming home to this soul, also, that sin goes not unpuniashed ?...

MR SARGEANTS MEET1NGS. To te Editor of the Trralgon Record. Sir, as you are aware, at the close of the meeting on Friday evening, the President of the shire-Mr Peterkin,came on the platform and informed the meeting that he considered it a piece of impertinence that I as a chair. man should dictate to him what he as. President of the Shire should or should not do. Since the meeting referred to, I haier turned the matter over in my mind, and I am clearly of opinion that the charge of impertinence lies at his door and not at mine. Had I expressed any opinion of his actions as a private individual, it might very properly havoe been considered impertinent, but it was as a public man; as President and councillor of the shire, I criticised his con. duct on that occasion. As Mr. Peterkin publicly affronted me at the .m ting, by making use bf the'terms referred to, I take the opportunity, with. your :kind permission, of giving my views in support or the remarks I made which offendedthat gent...

s CORRESPONDENCE. Mt AR GROOM'S MEETINGS. To the Editor of the 7raralgon Record. Mr Groom, judging by his utterances last Saturday evening, is both a conservative and a liberal, which, according' to his interpre tation of those terms, means also that he is r both a freetrader and a protectionist. 'If this anomalous position he not sitting one rail, it is standing with a leg on each side of! the fence.. Mr Groom's notions of protection. appears to extend only to what is made inf the country, ana'tlie'vital principal, that protection, to be effective as a means of developing our. natural resources, must: include what can be made also, lies apparently without the range of his com prehension. Mr Groom declares himself in harmony with the Coalition Government while denouncing the Land Act one of the most important measures that that Government has passed into law, a force in so far as South Gippsland is concerned, and a law for the rich. It is worth while considering, however, to what ex...

MELBOURNE. Thursday. A most destructive fire broke out about midonigh on Thursday amongst the timber stacks on the wharf, in close. proximity to the gas works. In spite of the efforts of the various fire bri gades the flames were not finally subdued until seven oc!ock on Saturday morning, having been burning for 31 hours. 'A qjuster of an acre of timber was burned, biutit is not.thought that the market was seriously affected, as. large stocks are held in most of the yards at present. As usual at a large fire thd pressure of water in the mains was mdst inadequate and.belore. log the souply became exhausted... The Insurance Companies' engine Was brought upon the scene, and pomped water fromhtho Yarra upon the burning mass, and the tanks in the Gsa Com pany's yard were also levied upon. The closeness of the fire -to the enormods gasometers rendered the situation one of the greatest danger, and the efforts of the firemen were wisely directed to. the saving of the gas-works. The timber h...

ELECTIONEERING NOES. MR 0. SARGEANT AT TRARALGON. Mr Sargeant, oce of the new candi dates for the representation of South Gippland, in Parliament, addressed the electors in the Mechanics' Institite, oni Friday evening, the 19th inst There were about 170 persons present, and the chair was occupied by Mr Galbraith, who in introducing the candidate, said he consid'red'that on an occasion like the present, each candidate should get a fair hearing. By. presiding at that meeting he did not .iecessarily identify himself with the"view pf the candidate. The persons who stand round the door ought to come forward, especially those holding public offices. - The president of the-Shire ought, by virtue of his office to preside at the meetings of thlie candidates (cries of. oh! ol.) . .. . Mr *Sargiont said 'he' .defirrmed' the mieting'till 8 30,"indefcrence to the wishes of the Mias?ic'hody, but though'late :iii starting,~there would be ample time to give the audience his views on politics. He di...

MR. F. C. MASON AT' TRARALGON. The sitting member for this elector rate held a meeting in connection with the coming contest at the Mechanics' Institute, last evening, wheorl Mr. J. Peterkin occupied thechair. The hall was crowded to excess, there being fully 300 persons present. Mr Mason was listened to most attentively I throughout. Mr Peterkin said he had been asked to preside at this meeting, and had very much pleasure in'doing so. He felt it a duty to do so, since Mr Mason had worked so indefatigably for this electorate. Rpeaking candidly, he thought Mr Mason was entitled to a walkover. He might say that at one time he was a very strong opposer of Mr Mason's; but that was-when there were, burning questions before ithe country. He thanked God those burn ing questions were not before :the country now. They were dead and buried: and quoting one of the American poets-'? " None need be for party," he had much pleasure in' introdueing' their old. membei 'as a: candidate' for this ele...